U N I T

3
Heatand
Heat and
Temperature
Temperature
Imagine a world where people had not learned how to warm or cool
anything. Without furnaces or air conditioners, homes and schools would
get uncomfortably hot or dangerously cold. No one would ever enjoy a
hot meal (no stoves) or an ice-cream treat (no freezers). Almost nothing
would be made of metal or glass because these materials require intense
heat for shaping. Automobiles, trucks, buses, and even bicycles would
not exist. Most of the comforts and conveniences we now enjoy would
not exist.
There is no question that devices that use heat and control
temperature make our homes more comfortable and our lives more
convenient. However, what happens to heat when you open the
refrigerator door and stand gazing inside, wondering what to eat?
How many hours in a month or a year is your refrigerator
door open? How does that affect the amount of energy it
uses? If you decide what you want to eat before opening
the refrigerator door, will that make a difference? What if
your whole class or your whole school decides to limit the
amount of time their refrigerator doors stay open? What
would be the impact of such an action? In this unit you will
investigate some scientific principles that will help you make
knowledgeable decisions about energy use.

184
 Unit Contents
TOPIC 1

Using Energy
from Heat 188
TOPIC 2

Measuring
Temperature 192
TOPIC 3

The Particle Model,

Temperature, and
Thermal Energy 202
TOPIC 4

Expansion and
Contraction 210
TOPIC 5

The Particle
Model and
Changes of State 218
TOPIC 6

Transferring
Energy 226
TOPIC 7

Sources of
Thermal Energy 238
TOPIC 8

Conserving
Our Fossil
Fuels 248
 U N I T 3

• How do you use energy

every day? How does the energy that keeps us warm
and cooks our food get out of control? What
• What happens to do we do then? Topics 1–3 will introduce
materials when they you to the basics of heat and temperature.
are heated? You will then move on to find
out how to control this
• How can we reduce energy and how
the amount of energy to use it
we use? efficiently.

Up and away! Heat technology enables hot air balloons like this
one to take off, float through the air, and come back to land. Heat
affects other substances, besides air. In Topics 4–6, you can find
out what they are and how controlling them benefits us.

186 MHR • Heat and Temperature

 How does this experimental aircraft harness
energy from the Sun? How will the kind of
technology it uses help us to conserve energy
resources? In Topics 7–8, you will learn
about some exciting possibilities that will
meet human needs and benefit our planet.

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Unit 3 Preview • MHR 187

T O P I C 1 Using Energy from Heat
Since ancient times, people have needed thermal energy
(heat) to cook their food and to keep them warm. And
since the beginning of time, uncontrolled heat has
scorched and spoiled the taste of food and has destroyed
buildings and homes. In what ways have humans made
thermal energy work for them?
Look at the following photographs to see some of
the ways in which this form of energy has been used
Figure 3.1A Open fires cook food, but they are
throughout history.
hard to control, dangerous, and messy.

Figure 3.1B Open wood-burning fireplaces (at right) draw the

warmth from a room. Modern gas fireplaces (above) use energy
efficiently, directing warm air back into the room.

Figure 3.1D Modern

stoves are attractive, easy
to control, and relatively
safe to use.

Figure 3.1C Pioneer stoves did double duty heating the

home and cooking the food.

Figure 3.1E This Inuit hunter has built an igloo shelter. When Figure 3.1F Sod houses provided protection from the weather,
he perspires inside the igloo, the moisture will condense when and the soil helped to prevent heat from escaping.
it hits the ice, sealing the igloo.

188 MHR • Heat and Temperature

 S K I L L C H E C K

Initiating and Planning

Performing and Recording

3-A
Analyzing and Interpreting

Communication and Teamwork

Using Energy
Use library or Internet research to try to find
out which energy source is most commonly
used in Alberta for:
(a) heating (b) cooking

Chart the class results of your survey and

research.

Respondent Source of Source of Method Why

Think About It
How are your home and school heated? What
cooking devices do people in your community use
most often—stoves, microwave ovens, toaster
ovens, or other appliances? What sources of
energy heat buildings and cook food, and power
other daily activities where you live? Do people
you know rely on solar energy, electricity, natural
gas, propane, or fuel oil? Use your skills of
communication, organization, and interpreting
data to find out.
Procedure
With your group, prepare a survey similar to
the one shown here. Use it to find out from
family and community members the different
ways of cooking food and heating homes and
workplaces that are used in your community.
Find out how often each method is used and
why it is chosen.
From your group, select one member to be
part of a class delegation. The delegation will
interview people at your school who look
after the heating and ventilation system and
any cooking facilities. The delegation can
arrange one meeting with the appropriate
person(s) and then report back to the other
groups.
energy to heat energy chosen?
building to cook
Person 1
Person 2
Person 3
Analyze
1. According to your results, which source(s)
of energy are used most commonly for
heating buildings and cooking food in
your community?
2. How well do the results of your survey
agree with your findings about the most
common energy choices across Alberta?
Suggest reasons for any differences.
Extend Your Knowledge
Find out what sources of energy are commonly
used in other provinces. Why might the use of
these particular sources of energy sometimes
result in problems for the users? (You might
find out, for example, about the source of
energy that is used in the province of Québec.
Why did it pose a problem during the Ice
Storm of January 1998?)

Using Energy from Heat • MHR 189

 More Uses of Energy
Over the years we have learned a great deal about efficient ways of
heating our homes and cooking our food. The pan of water that boiled
New technology in
dry over the cookfire has been replaced by a whistling kettle on a gas or
electric blankets can electric stove. Even more advanced technology has given us “cordless”
help warm up your electric kettles that shut themselves off when the water they contain
cold feet without reaches boiling point. Many other technologies also use thermal energy
scorching the rest to make our lives easier or more comfortable.
of your body. These
blankets have micro-
sensors that work like
invisible thermostats.
They measure the tem-
perature of different
parts of your body
and generate heat
accordingly.

Figure 3.2 Laundry can dry naturally in the open air.

Why did humans develop machines to dry their laundry?

As people’s ways of life, needs, and wants change, we learn new ways to
change and improve technology. As a result, we often can choose
Looking Ahead among several ways of doing a task. For example, you might sometimes
wash your hair and let it dry naturally. If you wash it before you come
Ask adults you know to school, you might need to dry it more quickly, especially in winter.
whether they feel energy
To do so, you can choose to use a hair dryer.
conservation is impor-
tant. If any can suggest
ways to conserve
energy for cooking and
home heating, add their
ideas to your Super
Saver poster.
www.mcgrawhill.ca/links/
As you work through
sciencefocus7
this unit, you will
understand how some Find out about “soddies.” Click on
of these methods work Web Links to find out where to go next.
(or why they do not Write a story about a day in the life
work!). of a “soddie” dweller.

Figure 3.3 Hair dryers are made to meet

various kinds of needs. Why are the
buttons necessary?

190 MHR • Heat and Temperature


How Was It Made?
Heat technology has been used extensively in
industry, as you will see in this activity.
Materials
access to the Internet (if available)
library resources
audiovisual materials
writing materials
Performing and Recording
Procedure
Communication and Teamwork
1. With your group decide which of the
following areas involving the use of
heat-related technologies you would like
to investigate:
• ceramics
• metallurgy (working with metals)
• use of engines
You will be finding out about the history
of each industry and presenting an audio-
visual report on your findings.
2. Decide how to divide the tasks among
your group members.
3. Use as many research resources as you
can to find out information such as the
following:
• When did this industry begin?
• Why did it begin? (What needs led to
its start and development?)
TOPIC 1 Review
1. What problems have people experienced in
using energy from heat?Give some examples
from the text and from your own experience
of ways people have tried to resolve these
problems.
Find Out
• What does it produce? If the product is
used in a further process or to produce
another product, what is the process?
• Were there times when the industry grew
especially slowly or quickly?
• What other events in history might have
affected its growth or lack of growth?
• How has the technology changed over
time?
• What has brought about those changes?
Add your own questions to investigate.
4. When you have completed your research,
prepare an audiovisual presentation about
what you have learned. Use charts and
graphs wherever possible. Be sure to
indicate the sources of the information
you found.
5. Complete your report by suggesting (with
reasons) what your group thinks the future
holds for this industry.
What Did You Find Out? Analyzing and Interpreting
1. What kinds of events slowed or speeded
up growth in the industry you investigated?
Why do you think that was the case?
2. Will future changes in the industry be
based on changing needs or on the
availability of newer technology — or
are the two really the same thing?
2. Apply What need can you identify in your
own life that current technology does not
meet? Share your ideas with a partner or with
your group and try to think of a new device
that will benefit you and your group. Prepare a
computer graphic to describe and advertise it.
Using Energy from Heat • MHR 191
T O P I C 2 Measuring Temperature

“Ooh, that wind is as cold as ice. Better stir up the campfire to get those
red-hot coals burning again. There, that feels a lot warmer. I hope my hot
chocolate hasn’t cooled down too much.”

You probably think of temperature as a number that tells you how hot
or cold something is. That is a practical, everyday definition. As you
work through this Topic and the next, you will learn more about the
scientific picture of temperature.
Everyday life is full of descriptions of temperature; that is, how warm
or cool things are. One way to estimate temperature is just to touch
something. Some nerve endings in human skin are quite sensitive to
different temperatures, so people can learn to recognize the feeling of
The record Canadian low particular temperatures by experience. Health-care workers can recog-
temperature of −62.8°C nize dangerous body temperatures by touching a patient’s forehead
was recorded at Snag, in with the back of a hand. People who work with very hot, glowing
the Yukon Territory. The materials can estimate the temperature of the materials by the colour
Canadian record high of the light they give off. Welders and glass blowers can estimate when
temperature of 45°C was
a flame is hot enough to soften metal or glass. Astronomers judge the
recorded in Sweetgrass,
Saskatchewan. Try to
temperature of stars by the colour of the light they emit.
locate Snag and Estimating temperatures with your eyes or skin is not always safe or
Sweetgrass on a map of reliable, however. Even if glass and metal are not glowing, they can be
Canada. Then try to find hot enough to burn you badly. In the winter, when the air temperature
the record high and low rises above freezing after a cold snap, people feel warm and take off
temperatures in your area
their heavy clothing. In the summer, cool winds before a thunderstorm
and the dates they were
recorded.
can make people shiver and reach for sweaters, even though the
temperature is still far above freezing.

192 MHR • Heat and Temperature

 Find Out
Baffle Your Skin
How hot something seems to be when you 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2, but switch hands in
touch it depends on how warm your skin step 1.
already is. You can experience this for yourself.
4. In clear sentences, record how warm the
Materials room-temperature water felt to each hand
3 bowls of water, large enough to dip a hand in in step 2 and in step 3.
hot (not burning) tap water What Did You Find Out? Analyzing and Interpreting
room-temperature water 1. Was there any difference in your
cold tap water observations in steps 2 and 3? If there
was, suggest a reason why.
Procedure Performing and Recording

1. Put one hand in the bowl of cold water 2. Use your observations in this activity to
and the other hand in the bowl of hot explain how the same air temperature can
water. Hold them there for 1 min. seem warm in the winter and cool in the
summer.
2. Quickly put both hands in the bowl of
room-temperature water. Notice how each
hand feels.

Thermometers
Your senses are easily fooled,
but thermometers are more
reliable. Thermometers are
mechanical or electrical
devices for measuring temper-
ature. A thermometer similar
to the one in Figure 3.4A was
constructed by the Italian
scientist Galileo in the early
seventeenth century. One
hundred years later, the
design was improved, as
Figure 3.4B shows. However,
an important part of modern
thermometers was still
missing. Examine the Figure 3.4A Galileo invented his air Figure 3.4B More portable
thermometer around 1600. As the air in thermometers, like this liquid
photographs carefully to find
the upper bulb cooled or warmed, a thermometer invented around 1700,
out what it was. bubble of liquid moved up or down in were made by putting the liquid in the
the tube. bulb and part way up the stem.

Measuring Temperature • MHR 193

 Temperature Scales
When you examined Figures 3.4A
and 3.4B, you probably noticed that
these early thermometers do not
have scales. That is, they have no
markings with numbers to indicate
a precise temperature. As scientists
discovered more and more about
the effects of temperature, they
needed to measure temperatures
precisely. Modern thermometers,
such as the one in Figure 3.4C,
have gradations or evenly spaced Figure 3.4C A modern laboratory
lines that allow you to read exact thermometer has a smaller bulb and a
much narrower opening in the glass stem.
temperatures.
For any form of measurement, someone has to decide on a unit and
Figure 3.5 Anders Celsius a standard for comparison. Today, the temperature scale commonly
suggested his temperature used in Canada and many other countries is called the Celsius scale in
scale in 1742.
honour of Anders Celsius (1701–1744). He used the “degree” as the
unit of temperature. He based his standards for comparison on the
properties of water, the most abundant liquid on Earth. Celsius
assigned zero degrees to the temperature at which ice melts at sea level.
He assigned a value of one hundred degrees to the temperature at
which liquid water boils at sea level. Then he separated the region
between these temperatures into 100 evenly spaced units or degrees.
(The degrees below zero and above 100 are also evenly spaced.)

It takes less time to make

a mug of hot chocolate
on top of a mountain.
Water boils at lower
temperatures the farther loose and packed snow
above sea level you go.
“firn”
(snow/ice grains)

solid glacial ice

moving (plastic) ice

Figure 3.6 The bottom layer of a glacier does not behave like solid ice. It acts more like a very
stiff liquid! The tremendous weight pressing down on the base of the glacier slowly squeezes the
ice crystals out of shape, causing the glacier to flow forward. High pressure also changes the
nature of ice crystals in other ways. Light shining through the lower part of the glacier appears
bluish-green even though ice itself is colourless.

194 MHR • Heat and Temperature

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3
80°
0° 100° 100°
90°
80°
70°
70°
60°
50°
40°
30°
20°
10°
0°

The liquid level in an ice-water The liquid level in boiling water is The scale is divided into 100
bath is marked as 0°. marked as 100°. equal degrees and numbered.
Figure 3.7 Steps in
The two fixed temperatures that Celsius chose — freezing water (0°C) calibrating a Celsius
and boiling water (100°C) — can be used for calibrating thermometers. thermometer at sea level.
Study Figure 3.7 to find one way this can be done. To be accurate, this
type of calibration must be done at sea level using very pure
water. Impurities in water change its boiling and freezing
points. Salt water, for example does not freeze until it is colder body temperature 37
300 room temperature
than 0°C. 20
water freezes 0
Pressure also affects the boiling point and freezing point of
water. Extremely high pressures, such as those under a glacier 200
or a skate blade, cause ice to flow or even melt at temperatures
below 0°C (Figure 3.6). Ice skaters actually glide on a thin layer
of water! Under low pressure, water boils before it reaches 100
100°C. In Alberta, for example, the high altitude means that
the weight of the air above you is smaller than it would be at
0 absolute zero –273
sea level. As a result, water in Alberta boils at several degrees
less than 100°C. At the top of Mount Everest, water would boil Kelvin Celsius
at only 69°C.
Figure 3.8 The Kelvin
As scientists developed theories to explain the behaviour of temperature scale is used
gases at different temperatures, they realized that they needed a by scientists. Try to use the
temperature scale that started at the coldest possible temperature, or diagram to express room
“absolute zero.” This new temperature scale was named the Kelvin temperature, body
temperature, and other
scale, in honour of William Thomson (1824–1907), who was given common temperatures in
the title Lord Kelvin. Although no one has ever been able to cool Kelvins.
anything down to absolute zero, scientists predict that the temperature
is –273.15°C.
The units of temperature on the Kelvin scale are not degrees but are
simply called kelvins. For example, the freezing temperature of water
at sea level is 273.15 K (read, two hundred seventy three point one five
kelvins). When it is not necessary to be extremely precise, this tempera-
ture is usually rounded to 273 K.

Measuring Temperature • MHR 195

 S K I L L C H E C K

Initiating and Planning

Performing and Recording

3-B
Analyzing and Interpreting

Communication and Teamwork

Make Your Own Thermometer

A B

cold damp dishcloth

air clamp
straw thermometer
airtight plug bowl

coloured water
coloured water

Today thermometers and other scientific instru- Safety Precautions

ments are mass-produced in factories. Early
scientists, however, had to build their own measur-
ing devices. Their clever designs used everyday
materials, yet produced accurate measurements.
Can you use modern materials to build a working
model of one of the earliest thermometer designs?
Challenge
Use everyday materials to build a thermometer
that accurately measures temperatures in your
classroom.
Materials
small glass bottle with a narrow neck (for example,
a small pop bottle)
drinking straw or length of tubing
one-hole stopper
laboratory stand and ring clamp
dishcloth
paper
pen
ruler
calculator
bowl of water with food colouring added
modelling clay or silicone glue
ice-cold water
The class also needs two calibration devices,
assembled as in diagram B.
Silicone glue does not wash off hands or clothing. It
irritates skin and emits fumes as it hardens. If you use
it, follow your teacher’s directions carefully and work in
a well-ventilated area. Wear gloves, eye protection, and
an apron, and work on newspaper. Use craft sticks or
wide toothpicks to apply and shape the smallest
possible quantity of the glue. Roll up the craft sticks in
the newspaper when you are finished, and discard
them in the garbage.
Specifications
A. Thermometers built in Part 1 should detect
increases in temperature when your teacher
warms them gently with a hair dryer and
decreases in temperature when they are
cooled with a cold washcloth.
B. At the end of Part 2, the thermometer will
have a properly constructed scale with
evenly spaced degree markings and suitable
numbering.
C. The thermometer must measure the tempera-
ture of the classroom accurately. The reading
should be within 2ºC of the temperature mea-
sured by a standard laboratory thermometer.

For tips on scientific problem solving, turn to Skill Focus 7.

196 MHR • Heat and Temperature

Part 1
Assembling the Thermometer
Plan and Construct
Using the materials your teacher provides,
your group will design and assemble a ther-
mometer like the one illustrated in diagram A.
The straw or tubing needs to have an airtight
seal against the bottle neck. Tape does not
work very well. If necessary, put it in a
one-hole stopper that fits the bottle. You could
use modelling clay to make a good seal.
Warm the bottle with your hands. Record
what happens in the dish at the end of the
straw. Troubleshooting: If nothing happens,
your hands are probably about the same
temperature as the bottle. Try wetting a
dishcloth with warm water, wringing it out,
and draping it over the top of the bottle.
Wet a dishcloth with cold water, wring it out,
and drape it over the bottle. What happens to
the level of water inside the straw?
When you are sure that your thermometer is
working correctly, have your teacher certify
that it meets Specification A.
Evaluate
1. Which part of your thermometer responds
to changes in temperature? Describe how
it responds when the air in the bottle
(a) warms up (b) cools down
2. Why might you add marks and numbers to
your thermometer? Where would you put
them?
Part 2
Calibrating the Thermometer
Plan and Construct
Plan how to create a scale for your thermometer
so that it can measure temperatures accurately.
Here are some hints:
(a) Your scale needs to be fastened to the
thermometer, then taken off for measuring
and marking, and then replaced on the
thermometer in its original position.
(b) Start by marking the scale at two known
temperatures at least 10 degrees apart. You
could use two wet washcloths or sponges.
Soak one in water with a known cool tem-
perature. Wrap it around the top of your
thermometer and watch the liquid level
fall. Mark the lowest level.
(c) Repeat (b) using a washcloth soaked in
water with a known warm temperature.
Mark the highest level the liquid in your
thermometer reaches.
(d) You now have two markings on your scale,
for two different temperatures. Take the
scale off the thermometer and mark the
proper temperatures beside each mark.
(e) Measure the number of millimetres
between the two marks.
(f ) Subtract to find the number of degrees
between the two marks.
(g) Divide to find how many millimetres on
your scale stand for each degree celsius.
Ask your teacher for help if necessary.
Use your calculations to finish marking your
thermometer scale. Be sure to number the
scale every 5 or 10 degrees.
Show your teacher or another lab group
that your calibrated thermometer meets
Specifications B and C.
Evaluate
1. Did your thermometer meet the design
specifications? How could you improve it?
2. Describe the main problems that you had
building your thermometer. How did you
overcome each problem?
3. Why are thermometers designed like yours
not very useful in everyday life?
Measuring Temperature • MHR 197
 S K I L L C H E C K

Initiating and Planning

Performing and Recording

3-C
Analyzing and Interpreting

Communication and Teamwork

Boiling Hot, Freezing Cold

Think About It
You can probably guess many familiar temperatures quite accurately.
Other temperatures may surprise you! As you follow the directions,
make sure that you learn the temperatures described in italics.

Procedure Temperature
Description (°C)
In your notebook, make a table with three
1 temperature of lava from 4 to 10
columns labelled “Very cold,” “Everyday,”
Hawaiian volcanoes
and “Very hot.” Give your table a title.
2 temperature of ocean currents −5
Copy each description from the table on the off Canada’s east coast
right into the proper column in your table. 3 temperature of ocean currents −87
off Canada’s west coast
For each description, choose the correct 4 world record coldest air −121 to −156
temperature from the right-hand column of temperature
the table. Write the temperature beside the 5 comfortable room temperature 92
description. Discuss your answers with your 6 body temperature of a budgie 15 000 000
partner until you agree on each one. bird
7 temperature where the Space −10 to −15
Check your answers against the list your
Shuttle flies in orbit
teacher has. Correct any mistakes you made.
8 temperature of a candle flame 200
Have your partner quiz you to make sure that 9 comfortable temperature for 20 to 25
you know the common temperatures, which heat-loving bacteria
are printed in italics. 10 normal human body temperature 37
11 temperature of ice cream 40
12 oven temperature for baking 1
bread
13 temperature of food in a freezer 100
14 temperature of the interior of 6000
the Sun
15 temperature of hot tea or coffee 1150
16 temperature of boiling water at 55
sea level
17 temperature of a slush of pure 800
water and ice
18 temperature of the surface of 0
the Sun

This “Morning Glory Pool” is heated by energy from deep The descriptions in this table do not match the temperature in
within Earth. The water remains about 95˚C even with the column beside them. Your job is to work with a partner to
snow on the ground nearby. unscramble them.

198 MHR • Heat and Temperature

The Right Device for the Job iron wire
Could you use the same device to measure the temperature of the copper
wire
surface of the Sun and the body temperature of a parrot? Probably not.
Thermometers have been developed to suit almost every purpose, from
measuring the extreme cold of outer space to estimating the tempera-
tures of stars. Each of the thermometers described below contains a
tip of
sensor — a material which is affected by changes in some feature of probe
the environment, such as temperature. The sensor produces a signal —
information about temperature, such as an electrical current. The temperature probe
to computer
signal affects a responder — a pointer, light, or other mechanism
that uses the signal in some way. Figure 3.9 A thermocouple
being used to measure the
The Thermocouple temperature of a liquid
In a thermocouple, wires made of two different metals are twisted
together. When the twisted wire tips are heated, a small electrical cur-
rent is generated. The amount of current depends on the temperature
of the wires. The electrical current from the thermocouple can be used
to turn a switch or a valve on or off if the temperature changes.
Thermocouples can measure temperatures so high that ordinary
laboratory thermometers fail because the liquid in them would start to
boil. They cannot be used to measure low temperatures accurately.
Try to identify the parts
The Bimetallic Strip of each thermometer
described here. What
A bimetallic strip is made of two different metals joined firmly together. is the function of each
As the strip is heated, one metal expands more than the other. The responder? Does it
strip is forced to coil more tightly. When the strip cools, the process display information,
is reversed. The same metal that expanded rapidly now contracts make a permanent
rapidly and the strip uncoils again. Movements of the strip can operate record, control some
other device, or do
a type of electrical switch, which can be used to control furnaces, air
some other useful task?
conditioners, refrigerators, or other devices. Examine Figure 3.10 to
find out how a bimetallic strip turns a furnace on and off.
inside a cold thermostat inside a hot thermostat
furnace off
mercury mercury
switch capsule

furnace Your body has its own

on coiled
bimetal strip temperature sensor
inside your brain. It
monitors your internal
bimetallic strip
temperature. If the
copper temperature outside
iron
your body changes, the
Figure 3.10 In a thermostat, the bimetallic strip is fastened to a glass capsule containing a drop sensor signals the brain
of liquid mercury metal. When the bimetallic strip cools, the capsule tilts. The mercury rolls to to release chemicals that
one end, fills the gap between two wires, and completes an electrical circuit. The furnace or air will enable your body to
conditioner is switched on. When the bimetallic strip bends the other way, the mercury rolls adjust to its normal 37°C.
away from the wires, breaking the circuit. The furnace or air conditioner is switched off.

Measuring Temperature • MHR 199

 The Recording Thermometer
Recording thermometers In one type of recording thermometer, a bimetallic strip coils and
are sometimes called uncoils as the temperature changes. One end of the strip is attached to
“thermographs.” The a long, light metal lever that holds a special pen. Tiny movements of
syllable “therm” comes the bimetallic strip cause much larger movements of the free end of
from the Greek word for
the lever and the pen. The pen traces a rising and falling line on a strip
temperature or heat, and
the syllable “graph”
of paper attached to a slowly turning drum. The drum usually makes
comes from the Greek one turn every seven days, so each strip of paper contains a record
word for writing. Thus of temperature changes for an entire week. (You will find out about
a thermograph is a another instrument that works in a similar way in Unit 5.)
“temperature writer.”
List as many other bimetallic
“therm” and “graph” strip
words as you can, along
with their meanings.
lever

pen

Figure 3.11 This recording thermometer uses a bimetallic strip to detect changes in
temperature. The end of the coil is attached to the short end of a lever. The long end of the lever
is attached to a pen that makes a permanent recording of the temperature on graph paper
attached to a rotating drum.

The Infrared Thermogram

The photograph on the left shows an infrared image; the one on the right is a normal
photograph of the same image. What colours in the thermogram indicate the highest and lowest
temperatures? In the winter, how could you identify air leaks around doors and windows from an
infrared image? How could a building owner use this information to reduce heating costs and
conserve fuel?

200 MHR • Heat and Temperature

Objects do not have to be glowing red hot to
give off radiation. Anything that is warmer
www.mcgrawhill.ca/links/sciencefocus7
than absolute zero gives off infrared radi-
Warm objects, such as your body, give off more infrared
ation (IR), a type of radiation similar to
radiation than cool objects. Thermograms of certain body parts
light, that your eyes cannot detect. Your can help physicians diagnose some medical problems. To explore
skin can detect infrared radiation when more about this topic go to the web site above. Click on
you are near hot objects. Even if you are Web Links to find out where to go next.
not actually touching the object, you can feel
the warmth. Infrared radiation can be photographed
with special films or detected by electronic sensors that display images
on television screens. The colour or brightness of the infrared image
shows the temperature of the object (see Figure 3.12). In Topic 8, you
will learn more about a Cool Tool that uses IR.

TOPIC 2 Review Some kinds of crystals

turn certain colours at
1. Suppose that you were present on the hottest day ever reported in different temperatures.
Canada. You may have seen these
(a) What would your body temperature have been? crystals in strips used to
take your temperature.
(b) If the air temperature had dropped by 5°C, would you have felt
When you place the strip
warm or cold?
on your forehead, the
2. Describe how a thermostat controls the temperature in a building. crystals that change
colour will show the
3. Apply What might be the advantages and disadvantages of using a temperature of your skin.
thermocouple instead of a regular lab thermometer?

4. Apply Many household appliances, such as irons, are heated electrically.

They usually contain a thermostat that switches electricity on and off to
keep the appliance at a constant temperature. Think of at least three
examples of other appliances that might use thermostats to switch
electricity on and off.

5. Thinking Critically Choose the most appropriate temperature-

measuring instrument to use in each situation below. In each case,
explain your choice.
(a) controlling an electric frying pan
(b) making long-term temperature records at a weather office
(c) detecting small forest fires before they spread
(d) monitoring temperatures inside a furnace
(e) checking trains for overheating wheel bearings as they pass
by a station
(f) studying temperature changes inside a building over a 24 h period

Measuring Temperature • MHR 201

T O P I C 3 The Particle Model,
The idea that all matter is
made of particles was
first proposed about
2400 years ago in ancient
Greece. Modern scientists
have been gathering
evidence to test the
theory for more than
200 years. They have
used the theory to explain
their observations and to
predict results of their
investigations. The parti-
cle theory of matter has
been so useful that it is
now universally accepted
as a model.
Temperature, and
Thermal Energy
Try waving your hand in the air. Now think about moving your hand
through water. Is that easier or more difficult? What if you tried to
move your hand through wood or steel? How difficult is that? Why?
Moving your hand through air is easy because the particles that make
up air are spaced far enough apart. Your hand can easily move them
aside. Why might such movement be more difficult where the other
substances are concerned?
First, you should know that the particles in all matter are extremely
small. What do the words “extremely small” mean in relation to the
particle model? Imagine a drop of water balanced on your fingertip.
How many individual water particles are clinging together to create
the drop? The answer is about 1 700 000 000 000 000 000 000 —
one thousand seven hundred million million million! No wonder you
cannot see the particles with your unaided eye.

Pouring? Shaping? Filling?
Scientists use the idea of particles to explain
the properties that are common to all solids,
all liquids, and all gases. This diagram shows
how the particle model explains a solid, liquid,
and gas.
Find Out
1. Name the state(s) in which a material
(a) has a fixed shape
(b) takes the shape of its container
(c) always fills whatever container it is in

2. Name the state(s) in which the

particles are
(a) far apart from each other
(b) relatively close together
(c) free to move around
(d) held in fixed positions
A solid B liquid C gas What Did You Find Out? Analyzing and Interpreting

Use the particle model to explain your

Procedure Analyzing and Interpreting answers to questions 1 and 2.
Examine the diagram to find the answers
to the following questions.

202 MHR • Heat and Temperature

The particle model of matter is a scientific description of many
different features of these tiny particles. Three of the most important
ideas of the model are:
• All substances are made of tiny particles too small to be seen.
• The particles are always in motion — vibrating, rotating, and
(in liquids and gases) moving from place to place.
• The particles have spaces between them.

Find Out
Detect a Connection
How does a material change when it is warmed or cooled?
How does warming or cooling affect the tiny particles of which
everything is made?

inside hive outside hive wood stick

bow
string

hand-held
mixer smoke
beehive pile of twigs
water and tinder

log

Procedure Analyzing and Interpreting
Carefully examine each picture. Then answer
the following questions.
1. One way that bees control the temperature
in their hive is by beating their wings
vigorously. Explain what happens to
(a) the motion of the air particles in the hive
What Did You Find Out?
(b) the air temperature in the hive
2. Water warms up slightly if it is stirred
vigorously.
(a) What happens to the motion of the
water particles as they are stirred?
(b) How is the behaviour of the water par-
ticles similar to the behaviour of the air
particles in the beehive in question 1?
3. To start a fire, early people used a fire
drill to twirl a stick pressed against a
piece of wood.
(a) What happened to the temperature
at the pointed end of the drill?
(b) What do you think caused the particles
of wood to change temperature?
Analyzing and Interpreting
1. What common feature caused the
changes in temperature in each example
you examined?
2. Identify at least two other situations that
are similar to the three examples in this
activity.

The Particle Model, Temperature, and Thermal Energy • MHR 203


Antoine Lavoisier
(1743–1794) believed
that an invisible sub-
stance called caloric fluid
caused changes in tem-
perature. Fires, for exam-
ple, had a lot of caloric
fluid, so they were hot. If
caloric fluid moved from
a fire to a cooking pot,
the pot warmed up. For
many years, scientists
tried to detect and mea-
sure caloric fluid. No one
could. Finally scientists
stopped looking for it and
abandoned Lavoisier’s
theory.
Temperature and the Particle Model
As you probably noticed in the last activity, if the motion of the parti-
cles in a substance changes, the temperature of the substance changes,
too. When a substance warms — when its temperature increases — its
particles are moving faster. When a substance cools — when its
temperature decreases — its particles are moving more slowly.
This idea forms the basis for a fourth point in the particle model:
• The motion of the particles increases when the temperature
increases. The motion of the particles decreases when the
temperature decreases.
It is not easy to test this idea directly. As you now know, the smallest
particles of matter are too tiny to observe clearly. They can be observed
only in large groups. In any substance, some particles always seem to
be moving faster than average. Other particles seem to be moving
unusually slowly. The average speed of many particles, however, is
always indicated by their temperature.
Temperature indicates the average speed of particle motion in a substance.

Observations of many What Is Energy?

different phenomena
suggest that particles of
matter are attracted to
each other. Scientists
think that forces between
particles are responsible
for the characteristics of
materials you use every
day. You will be able to
infer many features of
these forces as you con-
tinue studying science.
Energy is a measure of something’s ability to do work — in other
words, to cause changes. Whenever something happens, scientists are
sure that energy is being transferred from one thing to another. Figure
3.13 shows some everyday examples. As you study the illustrations, try
to describe three features of each situation:
• What has high energy? What has low energy?
• What change is being caused as energy is transferred?
• What source provides energy for the change? To what is the energy
transferred?

Figure 3.13A Fully charged batteries can
power a stereo; dead batteries cannot. A
charged battery stores more energy than
a dead battery.
Figure 3.13B A hot drink warms you
more than a cold drink. Hot substances
have higher thermal energy than cold
materials.
Figure 3.13C Catching a heavy, fast-
moving baseball stings more than catch-
ing a light, slow-moving Ping-Pong™
ball. The baseball has much more energy
of motion than the Ping-Pong™ ball.

204 MHR • Heat and Temperature

Hot-air balloons, ovens, a hot tub — these and many other devices are
designed to release and transfer thermal energy (energy associated
The term “thermal
with hot objects). The fuel in a hot-air balloon burns, transferring energy” has a precise
thermal energy to air, which warms, expands, and lifts the balloon. scientific meaning, but it
Hot metal elements in an oven transfer thermal energy to food, is not used very much in
warming and cooking it. Hot water in a hot tub transfers thermal everyday language.
energy to people in the tub. Scientists sometimes use
the word “heat,” but they
Have you noticed the same two features of each energy example
give it a specific mean-
in this section? You can identify them in any situation where change ing: thermal energy being
is occurring. transferred because of
(a) Changes happen when there is a difference of energy. Every temperature differences.
useful energy system has a high-energy source that powers To avoid confusion, this
the changes. textbook uses the
scientific terms “thermal
(b) Energy is always transferred in the same direction: from a energy” and “energy
high-energy source to something with lower energy. transfer” whenever
possible. Can you think
of other words that
have slightly different
meanings in science
and everyday life?
Energy is measured in joules (J), in honour of James Joule
(1818–1889), an amateur scientist who devoted his life to
studying energy. To investigate the connection between energy
and temperature changes, Joule built many ingenious devices.
One was a set of paddle wheels that stirred water as they were
turned by falling weights. The temperature of the water
increased a small, but measurable, amount. If you have a sensi-
tive computerized temperature probe, you could repeat Joule’s
experiment using an electric mixer or a blender to stir the water.

The Particle Model, Temperature, and Thermal Energy • MHR 205


How would you use the
words “energy” and
“temperature” in an
everyday sense? How is
this different from their
scientific meanings? For
each word, think of and
write down a sentence
which uses the word in
an everyday sense. Now
try to “translate” your
sentences into scientific
descriptions.
Thermal Energy and Temperature Changes
Does your bedroom get chilly on cold winter nights? In just a few min-
utes, a small electric heater can warm the room up. The heater trans-
fers thermal energy to the air. The air particles move faster as their
average energy increases. You notice the temperature rising.
Now imagine trying to warm a very large building — maybe your
school gymnasium — using the same heater running for the same
amount of time. What a hopeless task! The same amount of thermal
energy would be transferred to the air. But in the larger room there are
many more air particles. Each particle gets only a tiny share of the
extra energy. The average energy of the particles increases, but only a
tiny bit. The air temperature rises, but not very much.

Compare the everyday

definition of temperature
as given on page 192
with the definitions given
on page 204 and on this
page. In your Science
Log describe how the
definition of temperature
and your understanding
of it have changed.
You can see that there is a connection between thermal energy and
temperature. Heating anything increases the total energy of all its
particles. The average energy of the particles — the temperature of the
substance — may increase a little or a lot. The temperature change
depends on the number of particles; that is, the amount of material
you are heating.
What about cooling? Imagine putting an ice cube in a glass of warm
lemonade. The ice absorbs thermal energy as it melts. With less energy,
the average motion of the particles in the lemonade slows down. The
temperature of the lemonade drops.

Potters need to check the very high temperatures inside the kilns that bake and harden
their pottery. To do this, they use small ceramic pyramids called “pyrometric cones”
like the ones shown in the photograph. Sets of four cones are placed in the kiln along
with the pottery being fired. Two of the cones soften and bend over as the kiln heats
up. The third cone bends at the desired temperature. If the fourth cone bends, the kiln
has overheated and the pottery may be damaged. Potters refer to cones by code
numbers. For example, a number 022 cone bends at 585°C, a number 1 cone bends
at 1125°C, and a number 26 cone bends at 1595°C.

206 MHR • Heat and Temperature

 Could the same ice cube cool off a bath or hot tub filled with steam-
ing water? Hardly! The ice would absorb the same total amount of
thermal energy as it melted. The average energy of the particles would
drop only a tiny bit, because there are so many of them. Again, the
temperature change depends on the amount of material, as well as on
the change in thermal energy.

What Energy Is … and Is Not

“I just don’t have enough energy to do my homework.”
“I’m so hungry! I need a big meal to get enough energy for the
soccer game.”
“You look exhausted! Did cleaning your room use up all your energy?”

Energy is not a substance. It cannot be weighed. It does not take up

space. Energy describes a quality or condition. Think about words that
describe other qualities or conditions. You might describe the drums
in a band as “loud,” but that does not mean they are filled with extra
“loudness.” If the guitar is played softly, that does not mean its
“loudness” is almost used up.

What is energy? Energy is a property or quality of an object or

substance that gives it the ability to move, do work, or cause changes.
Energy is the topic of one of the most important laws of nature. The
Law of Conservation of Energy states that: Energy cannot be created or
destroyed. It can only be transformed from one type to another or passed from
one object to another.
Is it still okay to say, “Wow, I’m feeling full of energy today”? Of
course! Everyday language is fine for everyday life. Just remember to
be more precise when you are giving a scientific description.

The Particle Model, Temperature, and Thermal Energy • MHR 207

 Across Canada
Imagine trying to keep a toboggan hill covered in ice in to a temperature that will keep
the blazing sun, with the temperature well above freezing. the ice at the freezing point.
That is the challenge that Bruce Welsh often faces between Some days that's not easy.
September and March each year. Bruce is supervisor of the “One year,” Bruce recalls,
refrigeration plant at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, “the air temperature reached
Alberta. As part of his job, he looks after the 2 km winding 18°C in December. We had
track that is used for bobsled and luge races. No matter to run virtually every piece
what the weather, the ice on the track must be kept at 0 of equipment in our plant to
or –1°C. That’s the ideal temperature for the high-level successfully hold the ice.”
competitions and training that take place there. Bruce Welsh Very cold days can be a
The track is made of concrete. Inside it, just below the problem too. Frost forms on the ice making it “sticky” and
surface, is a system of pipes. Equipment in the refrigeration slowing down the sleds. Bruce can raise the ice temperature
plant cools a liquid called a refrigerant and pumps it only by having crew members carefully spray it with water
through these pipes to chill the track. This helps build up between races.
the layer of ice each September and keeps it from melting Dealing with whatever nature throws his way doesn’t faze
throughout the season. Bruce and his staff monitor the Bruce. “It’s challenging, but the variety is what makes my
weather, and adjust the equipment to chill the refrigerant job really interesting.”

TOPIC 3 Review
1. List the main points of the particle model of matter that were presented
in this section. (Hint: Look back to pages 203 and 204.)

2. Why is it so hard to test the particle model to see if it is correct?

(Hint: see page 204.)

3. Describe two situations in your life in which caused changes

The ideas in this Topic
are tricky! Use them to
write a short explanation
in your Science Log that
demonstrates your
understanding of temper-
ature, particle motion,
and energy (especially
thermal energy). Use
your own words, and
include examples or
diagrams. With a partner,
take turns reading your
explanations. How are
your ideas similar? How
are they different?
in something.
4. Name an important discovery or idea contributed by each of
these scientists.
(a) James Joule
(b) Anders Celsius
(c) Lord Kelvin
5. How is thermal energy different from temperature? (Hint: You have
studied three answers to this question so far).
6. Thinking Critically Modern scientists do not use Lavoisier’s “caloric
fluid” theory (see the Did You Know? on page 204). If this theory is
wrong, why do you suppose it is discussed in many science textbooks?
7. Thinking Critically Think of a form of energy that you knew by name
before you studied Topic 3.

208 MHR • Heat and Temperature

 Wrap-up TOPICS 1–3

If you need to check an item, Topic numbers are provided in brackets below.

Key Terms
thermometers energy responder 5. What points in the particle model did you use
scales Celsius scale thermal energy in Topics 1–3? List them in point form. (2–3)
particle model sensor temperature
of matter signal Kelvin scale 6. In your notebook, copy and complete the
following table to explain the meaning of
Reviewing Key Terms thermal energy. Give your table a title. (3)
1. In your notebook, copy and complete the
word game to find the name of a form of Substance with a Substance with a
energy that you have studied in this unit. large amount of small amount of
thermal energy thermal energy
(a) ___ ____ Average speed of
(b) _ _______ particle motion

(c) __ ___ Temperature

(d) _ _ _ _ _ ___
(e) __ ________
(f ) __ ___ 7. In your notebook, copy and complete the
(g) __ ____ following table to compare thermal energy
(a) The model of matter (3) and temperature. Give your table a title. (2)
(b) temperature-measuring device (2) Thermal energy Temperature
(c) a measurement of something’s ability to SI units of
measurement
do work (3)
What it tells about
(d) correctly position the number lines on particles of matter
a thermometer (2) Measuring device
or method
(e) measure of the average speed of a
substance’s particles (2)
(f ) number markings that indicate a precise 8. Explain how to make a rechargeable battery
temperature (2) have each of these forms of energy: electrical
(g) temperature scale commonly used in energy, thermal energy. (3)
Canada (2)
9. Copy and complete each of the following
sentence starters.
Understanding Key Concepts
(a) As particle motion increases, the
2. Give a reasonable temperature (in degrees
temperature … (3)
Celsius) for each of the following situations:
freezing water, room temperature, normal (b) As thermal energy increases, particles in
human body temperature, boiling water. (2) a substance move … (3)
(c) As thermal energy increases, particles’
3. Describe three steps in calibrating a average speed … (3)
thermometer. (2)
10. With a partner, create a short skit to show the
4. (a) What do thermometers measure? (2) behaviour of particles of matter in each of
(b) What do thermometers actually detect these situations: low temperature, warming
about the moving particles that make up up, small amount of thermal energy, a large
a sample of matter? (3) amount of thermal energy. (2, 3)

Wrap-up Topics 1–3 • MHR 209